Giants among leaders, need help in All-Star voting

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Major League Baseball All-Star Game isn't foreign territory to Hunter Pence, who was named to two All-Star teams (2009 and 2011) as a member of the Houston Astros.

Pence doesn't particularly care to look back on those experiences. Not now, at least.

"That stuff's in the past," Pence said Wednesday morning. "I'll look at it when I'm done playing, but right now I'm just as focused on the game today as I can be."

His same indifference applies to this year's Midsummer Classic. When the initial National League ballot figures were released Wednesday, Pence was one of seven Giants near the top of the voting for their respective positions.

Buster Posey is second at catcher with 421,100 votes, 219,364 behind St. Louis' Yadier Molina. Brandon Crawford trails only Troy Tulowitzki at short, but is a very distant second, 527,700 votes behind Tulowitzki, the NL's leading vote getter. Injured first baseman Brandon Belt is fourth and Pablo Sandoval is fifth at third base. All three starting outfielders find themselves in the NL's top 10. Angel Pagan, Michael Morse and Pence are eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.

That's all nice, too, but again, it wasn't a topic Pence wanted to discuss.

This is just the way manager Bruce Bochy likes All-Star situations: lots of Giants worthy of selection, no Giants thinking of potential said selection.

"It's good to see Craw [Brandon Crawford] getting recognized and all these guys, but don't even think about the All-Star Game," Bochy said. "Go out there and play and see what happens. I've seen players where they do think about it and they put a little added pressure on themselves. We want to stay away from that."

Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or on a mobile device -- using the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot Sponsored by Experian until Thursday, July 3, at 8:59 p.m. PT. The 2014 All-Star Game will be played at Target Field on Tuesday, July 15.

Fans may submit up to 25 online ballots, but they can also earn a one-time bonus of 10 additional online ballots. To access these additional online ballots, you must be logged into your MLB.com account when you submit any online ballot. If you do not have an MLB.com account, register on the site in accordance with the enrollment instructions for a free MLB.com account.

The 2014 All-Star teams will be unveiled on the 2014 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show during the weekend of July 5-6, with further details to follow on MLB.com. The AL will have nine elected starters via the fan balloting program, while the NL will have eight fan-elected starters. Pitchers and reserves for both squads -- totaling 25 for the NL and 24 for the AL -- will be determined through a combination of "Player Ballot" choices and selections made by All-Star managers Mike Matheny (NL) and John Farrell (AL).

Immediately following the announcement of the rosters, you can select the final player for each league's 34-man roster via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote Sponsored by Experian. Choose again at that point from among five players in each league. The Final Vote returns for its 13th season with more than 430 million votes cast to date, and you'll be able to make selections on MLB.com, club sites and your mobile device.

You'll be on a voting tear at that point, having already selected starters and the last men, and the ritual will not end there. The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans participating in the voting for the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the big game, vote exclusively online at MLB.com via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote Sponsored by Pepsi. The fan voice will represent 20 percent of the overall vote that determines the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.

The 85th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Ryan Hood is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.